Moccasin type article of footwear



Nov. 23, 1954 MELTZER 2,694,870

MOCCASIN TYPE ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR Filed D60. 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN-TOR. fAc K.,.- wrLT Z512 Qq BY Nov. 23, 1 4

Filed Dec. 7, 951

J.MELTZER MOCCASIN TYPE ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR 2 Sheet et 2 HVVEN United States Patent 2,694,870 MOCCASIN TYPE ARTICLE F FOOTWEAR Jack Mel tzer, Los Angele's; Calif; Application December 7, 1951, Serial No.- 260,501- 1 Claim. (Cl. 36-11) My. present invention'relates generally to footwear, and hasparticular reference to shoesorslippers of the moccasin type.

A characterizing feature of the well known moccasin type of footwear is the one=piece moccasin body which defines both the sole part and the upper. This provides a softness and smooth neatness onthe interior of the shoe which is unusually comfortable. However, the very softness and flexibility which affords this desirable comfort to the wearer imparts to the article of footwear a yieldability which causes the shoe to lose its original shape and contour quite readily and to assume a sloppy appearance after a short period of wear.

To impartrigidity to the upper of a moccasin by means of a flanged heel counter or box toe of ordinary kind is not-feasible. For example, mounting-a heel counter in the usual way on the interior of the shoe upper would call for a lining to cover it, and a slip-tab orslip-sole to cover the flange, with the result'that the smooth moccasintype interior would be impaired; and the samewould hold true with'respect to an ordinary box toereinforcement.

It is the primaryobject of the present invention to provide a shoe construction whereby highly desirable formretainin'gqualities are imparted to a moccasin-type article of footwear while at the same tirne'all the benefits and advantages of the characteristic soft and comfortable moccasin interior are retained.

I achieve this result by the use of a specially designed pro-fabricated unit which is applied'tothe'exterior of the moccasin body in any selected'region which is to be stiffened. The unitconsists of a pre-molded relatively stiff elmentof predeterminedsizeand shape, and'arelatively soft cover which is purposely larger in size thanthe stiffeningelement. These relatively stiff and soft elements are adhesively bonded to each other,,and are so'relatedthat thesoft cover has margins extending beyond the edges of the stiff element. The margins include some-which overlie the upper of the moccasin body, and these margins are secured to the moccasin body, preferably bystitches. The stiff element is thus sandwiched between the soft cover to which it isbondedand the moccasin body against which itvis held. A lower margin iszshaped to underlie thesole part of the moccasin body,.and may be secured in th'is position in various ways depending upon the type of shoe being made.

Other objects of the invention are todesign the construction'in such a way, and to employ a series of procedural steps of such character and sequence, that the manufacture of the moccasin-type article can be'carried out expeditiously and inexpensively by relatively unskilled operators and by theme of sewing machines and other egupment which are of ordinary and readily available Thefeatures of the invention lend themselves readily to the employment of a variety of shoe materials, either leather or otherwise, and to the creation of shoes and slippers of many varied kinds, all basically of the moccasin type yet susceptible to a wide range of ornamentations and styles.

One way of achieving the foregoing objectives and advantages, and such other objects and advantages as may hereinafter be pointed out, is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank of material of which the moccasin body is formed;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing this blank with Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating a further stage of manufacture;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the finished article of footwear; and

Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view substantially along the line 88 of Figure 7, with parts broken away to reveal parts which would otherwise be hidden.

The blank 10 shown in Figure l is a single sheet of leather or other suitable flexible material, shaped in the usual way and adapted to be folded and sewed into the condition shown in Figure 2. The blank 10 is shaped at its opposite ends, as shown, sothat when the edges 11 are stitched to the rounded part 12, and the edges 13 stitched to each other, a toe region of suitable shape is produced. Similarly, at the rear end of the blank, when the edges 14 are stitched to the rounded part15, and the edges 16 stitched to'each other, the heel region of the shoe is produced. Thus theblank 10 forms a one-piece moccasin body which comprises the sole part 17 (outlined in dot and dash lines in Figure l) and a peripherally upstanding part defining the upper and designated in the present figures by the reference numeral 18.

The stitching together of the-edges 11-16 toform the one-piece moccasin body is well-known per se and may be accomplished in any desired and suitable manner, as for example by zig-zag stitches such as those indicated at 19in Figure 2.

For application to the heel region of the moccasin body,

size or other material which rigidifies the element when it is'molded into the shape shown. Preferably the rigidifying of the element 20 and the bondingof this element to the outer procedure, usually involving-the application of heat and pressure, and well known per se in the art of making premolded counters.

The element 21 is relatively soft and flexible, and may consist of two parts which are joined'together along an outwardly turned seam 22. This seam or flange is purely ornamental, and simulates a kick-back flange which is commonly employed in making oneapiece moccasin bodies. Figure 3a shows how the pro-fabricated item of Figure 3 can be constructed of an inner relatively stiff element 20 and a relatively soft and flexible element 21 which is composed all of one piece.

The important and unique characteristic of the unit shown in each of Figures 3 and3a resides in the fact that the relatively soft outer element 21 is purposely larger than the stiff element 20 so as to provide margins which extendbeyondthe' edges of the element 20. struction' shown in Figure 3; the margins atthe top and sides are designated 23, and the margin 24 is one which is adapted to underlie the sole part of the moccasin body. Corgesponding margins 23' and 24 are shown in Fig ure a.

The lower edge of the stiffening element 20 may have a very narrow flange, as shown, to avoid the possibility of having the sharp lower edge of the relatively stiff element 20 wear through the relatively soft margin 24, but the provision of such a flange is not absolutely essential.

When the pre-fabricated unit of Figure 3 is applied to the exterior of the moccasin body, in the heel region, as indicated in Figure 5, the relatively soft margins 23 overlie the upper 18, and the relatively soft margin 24 Patented Nov. 23, 1954 element 21 are accomplished in a single In the conunderlies the sole part of the moccasin body. In accordance with my invention, means are provided for securing these margins to the moccasin body, thereby completely enclosing and concealing the stiffening element 20. The preferred way of securing these margins to the moccasin body is by means of stitches, but adhesive may be used instead of, or in addition to, such stitches. The side margins 23 may be secured by stitches 25, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The upper margin 23 may be advantageously secured by stitches 26 which also serve to attach the collar 27 to the upper edge of the moccasin. The lower margin 24 need not be stitched to the sole part 17 if an outer sole construction is employed, as shown in Figures 7 and 8; but if no such outer sole is used, stitches or adhesive, or both, are used to hold the margin 24 in proper position.

The element 20 may have any desired shape or size, depending upon the stiffening effect desired. The margins 23 and 24 may be also of any desired shape or size, depending upon the ornamental effect that is sought, and the way in which they are to be secured to the upper of the moccasin body. Under certain circumstances, especially where no outer sole construction is to be used, an ornamental contouring of the lower margin 24 is effective.

The same kind of stiffening can be achieved at the toe end of the shoe. In Figure 4 I have shown a pre-fabricated unit, corresponding to that which is shown in Figure 3, the purpose of which is to rigidify and strengthen the toe region of the shoe. In Figure 4, a relatively stiff element 28, of suitable size and shape, is adhesively bonded to a relatively soft cover 29 which is larger than the element 28, thereby forming margins which extend beyond the edges of the element 28. As hereinbefore mentioned in connection with the heel unit, the shaping and stiffening of the element 28 can be accomplished at the same time as the bonding together of this element and the cover 29.

As a manufacturing expedient, and also for its ornamental effect, the cover 29 may be made of two pieces joined together along a front seam 30, but this is not essential.

The unit of Figure 4 is applied to the moccasin body on the exterior of the toe region, as shown in Figure 5. This disposes some of the margins of the cover 29 in overlying relation to the upper, and it also positions the tower margin 31 beneath the sole part of the moccasin ody.

The securement of the margins of the relatively soft cover 29 to the moccasin body may be accomplished by stitching, by adhesive means, or by any other expedient. In the preferred construction, the upper margin is secured by stitches 32 (see Figure 6) which serve at the same time to secure the margin of the plug 33 to the top edge of the upper 18. The rear ends of the cover 29 are secured by stitches 34 (see Figures 7 and 8) which extend along the front edge of a saddle piece 35, this saddle serving to conceal the rear ends of the cover 29 and serving also to ornament the shoe in well known fashion. The lower margin 31 need not be secured to the moccasin body if an outer sole construction is used, but if there is to be no such sole then stitches or adhesive may be used to hold the margin 31 in position. As in the case of the margin 24 in the heel region, the margin 31 may be of any desired size or shape to strengthen or ornament the moccasin in the front part of the sole.

Where an outer sole construction is employed it may be of relatively soft character (not shown) and may be stitched or glued to the sole part 17 of the moccasin body. In the article of footwear illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of the present drawings, a relatively stiff outer sole 36 is used, this sole element including a thickened heel 37, and

being adhesively secured to the moccasin body. During the securement of the sole element 36, the lower margin 31 of the cover 29 at the toe region, and the lower margin 24 of the cover 21 in the heel region, are securely sandwiched beneath the sole part 17, as best shown in Figure 8. Similarly, the ends of the saddle element 35 are held in position between the sole part 17 of the moccasin body and the sole element 36.

Obviously, if desired, the sole construction 36-37 may be replaced by any other suitable or desired kind of sole structure, employing padding, platforms or other known expedients.

The outstanding advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that the advantages of a moccasin construction are retained while the disadvantageous softness and tendency toward collapse in the heel and toe regions is avoided. Thus, although the shoe is stiffened in the heel region, and rigidified at the toe, it has the attractive appearance and comfortable feel of an ordinary moccasin construction. Moreover, the existence of the stiffening elements is completely concealed. At the rear, the cover 21 resembles a conventional back-stay, and at the front of the shoe the cover 29 appears as though it were part of the moccasin body itself, since its rear ends are concealed beneath the saddle element 35. In this way, the appearance of an ordinary moccasion is retained, in addition to the qualities of comfort which a one piece inoccasin body affords.

Obviously, those skilled in the art may readily make changes in many of the details herein described and illustrated, without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a moccasin-type article of footwear, a one-piece moccasin body comprising a sole part and an upper, a forepart plug extending between the top edges of the upper in the forward region thereof, a saddle piece extending transversely across said upper and plug and down below the sole part on each side of said body, and a stiffening unit on the exterior of said body for stiffening the toe region, said unit comprising a relatively stiff element conforming to and overlying said body in the toe region and a relatively soft cover for said element larger in size than said element to provide margins extending beyond the edges of said element, said cover including a top margin substantially conforming in contour to the proximate edge of said forepart plug, said cover also including rear margins underlying and concealed by said saddle piece, and means securing said top and rear margins to said moccasin body including stitches which also secure said forepart plug to the top edge of the upper, and other stitches which secure the forward edge of the saddle piece to the upper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 562,663 Rieger June 23, 1896 1,475,646 Meyer Nov. 27, 1923 1,521,338 Swanson Dec. 30, 1924 1,871,764 Wiggin Aug. 16, 1932 2,212,514 Engel Aug. 27, 1940 2,301,836 Wilcox Nov. 10, 1942 2,472,265 Phillips June 7, 1949 2,548,961 Foster Apr. 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 513,171 Germany Nov. 22, 1930 

